Fastlink needs rethink, says
Partnership

Lee McCann

A last-ditch attempt to make a major improvement to the planned trunk road junction for the AWPR Fastlink has been launched.

Stonehaven Town Partnership (STP) has launched a petition asking for Transport Scotland to have a rethink for the road between the Fastlink and the A90 just north of Stonehaven.

In a letter to David Middleton, chief executive, STP have acknowledged their late request but have asked that the body reconsider the design for the junction.

The letter says: “We are fully aware that this request comes at a very late stage in the proceedings, and these matters have been aired in great detail in the past.

“However, the people of Stonehaven are only now slowly realising just how bad the current plans are, and we would ask you to take into account some relatively new evidence.

“First, the current design will now mean that the major traffic flows northbound and southbound will have to cross over each other – a feature that is not appropriate for a fast trunk road, and will be almost unique in the UK road network.

‘‘It is not a good idea.

“Secondly, it was admitted at the Public Inquiry that no account was taken of the considerable amount of extra fuel that would be required to negotiate the current design, and that, at the time, this was not in Transport Scotland’s remit.

‘‘This means that the current design is very environmentally unfriendly.

“An alternative design was proposed at the public enquiry. That much better design is now fully worked up, and we are informed by the relevant landowner that there are no issues with implementing it on the same timescale as the current design.”

Stonehaven and District Community Council made a strong objection at the time of the Public Inquiry in 2008 which saw the design passed.

The petition calling for reconsideration has been launched by David Fleming of the Stonehaven Town Partnership.

The petition is available now online at www.change.org/p/the-scottish-government-and-transport-scotland-re-consider-the-fastlink-a90-junction-design